Agenda item

To receive any petitions in accordance with Standing Order 65 or letters of representation in accordance with the Local Protocol. An officer response will be provided to each petition / letter of representation.

Three petitions have been received:

1.    Petition submitted by the Hookwood Residents’ Society calling for action in respect of parking and other traffic issues in the vicinity of Bluebird House, Povey Cross, Hookwood.

2.    Online petition posted on behalf of Bookham Residents Association.

Petition title: “provide immediate funding to allow completion of investigations and the implementation of a drainage scheme that resolves the persistent major flooding and subsequent hazard issues in central Bookham.”

3.    Petition submitted on behalf of the Leatherhead Residents’ Association and  The Leatherhead & District Chamber of Commerce.

           Petition title: “request that Leatherhead High Street be open from 3.30pm for 

           parking and access, 4.30pm on market days, for an experimental period of six

           months, to encourage an increase in footfall.”

Declarations of interest:

1.    Cllr Kennedy - member of the Bookhams Residents’ Association,

2.    Mrs Curran – designated SCC member of Bookhams Residents’ Association

Officers present:

Zena Curry, Area Highways Manager

Steve Clavey, Senior Engineer (parking)

Petition (178 Signatures) presented by Ms Angela Woodhams on behalf of Hookwood Residents’ Society (see supplementary agenda for petition details and officer response).

1.    Members acknowledged the complex nature of the issues. They sympathised with the petitioners; the problems had been caused in part by a change in the nature of the businesses in the area. 

2.    Members urged Surrey Highways and MVDC Planning to work together to find a resolution for the problems caused by businesses operating in residential roads.

3.    The new parking measures proposed in drawing number 55 (included in the parking review at item 8) did not deliver what residents had requested; the had wanted double yellow lines to be implemented, in order to deter taxis and holiday parking.

4.    The divisional member for Dorking Rural highlighted the problems with enforcement in rural areas and suggested it might be better covered by Reigate & Banstead officers.

5.    The location of the parking bay (drawing 55) had already been moved following requests, but the Senior Engineer (Parking) suggested meeting the petitioners on site, to look at other available options.

6.    The local committee (Mole Valley) agreed to note the officer’s response.

Petition (190 signatures) presented by John Howarth on behalf of Bookhams Residents’ Association (petition details; supporting letter from the Chief Executive of the Grange Centre, Bookham; officer response included in the supplementary agenda pack).

1.    Members welcomed the extra funding for investigative works, although they were disappointed that officers had not been able to identify a solution.

2.    The results of the investigations would be presented to the Local Resilience Forum (Bookham Flood Forum) and be included in a future highways update.

3.    The local committee (Mole Valley) agreed to note the officer’s response.

Petition (99 signatures) was presented by Susan Leveritt on behalf of the Leatherhead Residents’ Association and the Leatherhead and District Chamber of Commerce.

1.    The petitioners expressed disappointment at the officer response and asked the committee to reject the recommendation and allow an experimental Traffic Regulation Order.

2.    Members commended the petitioners for the high quality presentation of their petition and their committed approach.

3.    Members sympathised with the town’s business owners and acknowledged that to allow parking after 4.30pm would improve access to Leatherhead’s shops and businesses.

4.    A trial would provide essential data on footfall; in Dorking a few 30 minute parking bays had been introduced to encourage visits to local shops.

5.    Some members highlighted the fact that improvements were already being made to the town centre and suggested it would be advisable to align any trial with the transport study, as described in the officer response.

6.    This approach was supported by officers, who expressed concerns over a trial being carried out in isolation and the adverse impact it might have on other users. They would ask the team responsible for Transform Leatherhead to investigate.

7.    The restrictions had been in place for a number of years and it was possible that needs had changed since then, and this would be reflected in the transport study results.

8.    While understanding that there were currently no parking spaces marked out on the High Street and this situation would have to be assessed, members highlighted that this was no different from the situation on Sundays or during the evening, when parking restrictions were not in force.

9.    The introduction of an experimental TRO would incur additional costs as it would be  separate to the scheduled parking review.

10.  Officers stressed again the need to balance competing interests including accessibility for disabled users and agreements on delivery times with some businesses.

11.  While they acknowledged the points raised by officers, Members agreed with the petitioners and business owners that something needed to be done to improve the situation in the town centre.

12.  Their view was that a trial would give a good indication as to whether changing the parking restrictions would have a positive impact on business in the High Street.

13.  The divisional member for Bookham and Fetcham West proposed a change of recommendation, seconded by the divisional member for Dorking Rural.

The Local Committee (Mole Valley) agreed:

To ask officers to reconsider the proposal, and in discussion with the Chairman and the petitioners, what the way forward might be, in light of the strong views expressed by the committee, to introduce a trial period.

REASON FOR RECOMMENDATION:

Members agreed with petitioners and other stakeholders that action needed to be taken to support businesses on the High Street. The proposed trial of amended parking measures would evidence whether such new measures would have a positive impact on local trade.